With gridlock the norm, Congress's approval rating is below 10 percent and the public has lost faith in its national leadership.

If acknowledging that racial misgivings and misunderstandings are still a part of politics and life in America, I plead guilty.

In Washington, compromise has become a dirty word.

According to a Public Policy Polling survey, most Americans find lice and colonoscopies more appealing than Capitol Hill.

Clearly, the Obama presidency hasn't wiped out racial prejudices.

A concrete agenda and landslide victory might not even guarantee a president his mandate in a capital as polarized as Washington.

Like a cowboy saddling a bucking stallion, Republican leaders tried to tame the Tea Party while riding it to victories.